Re-using vinegar

[di]

Can you re-use the pickling vinegar that's left when pickled stuff is finished?If so how many times.?I often use cider vinegar which works out a little pricey if pickling lots~seems a shame to waste whats left in the jar but don't want to use if no good.

[Skotch]

Can you re-use the pickling vinegar that's left when pickled stuff is finished?If so how many times.?I often use cider vinegar which works out a little pricey if pickling lots~seems a shame to waste whats left in the jar but don't want to use if no good.

I've done it with pickled onions and just topped up the shortfall. I think its a great way to keep using a brew that you find works well for you

[HeyWayne]

Onions vinegar on chips. Hmmmmm......

[Hilary B]

I would tend to use it for other purposes (ie not for pickling) after the second time (possibly the first). Some of the active ingredient (acetic acid) gets 'lost' in the pickling process. I don't know any handy ways to test the acid content of vinegar, but that is the ideal approach. It should be 6% acetic acid, a lot of 'sold for other purposes' vinegar is only 3%. (I have a memory for odd sciency facts and figures once read, 90% reliable...).

[lynda66]

i use mine on chips

[zanussi101]

a guy my OH shared a house with in switzerland used to add a spoon or 2 of pickled onion vinegar to the water when boiling spuds. We tried a while ago and it made a nice change to the usual minty spuds.

[di]

So general consensus is I need to buy new each pickling session!!Anyone know where I can get some cheap cider vinegar?!

[Hilary B]

I nearly always use pre-spiced pickling vinegar, except for pickled eggs, which are 'less fussy'. Not all 'cider vinegar' is strong enough. If you can find a cider-making farm (wrong part of the country I suppose) you could see whether they would sell bulk quantities of cider vinegar. It must happen at times....

[Mikey]

So general consensus is I need to buy new each pickling session!!Anyone know where I can get some cheap cider vinegar?!

Sainsburys do 500ml for 69p, for their own brand.

[Flummery]

I use ready spiced - Sarson's - for most pickling purposes. I think the vinegar can draw out water from the vegetables being pickled so the resultant vinegar is diluted. You can still annoint yer chips with it though, as others have said!

[di]

Sainsburys do 500ml for 69p, for their own brand.

Apparently they do Ben10 watches for a tenna too~looks like we going to Sainsburys 2moro~Oh how Andi will love you!!

[di]

I use ready spiced - Sarson's - for most pickling purposes. I think the vinegar can draw out water from the vegetables being pickled so the resultant vinegar is diluted. You can still annoint yer chips with it though, as others have said!

As it's courgettes I pickle mostly I'd guess the water content@s going to be quite high~looks like chips are going to need to play a large part in the diet from now until!!I suppose I could use it for salad dressings too!

[Flummery]

You can cover your chosen vegetables with a good sprinkling of salt overnight to draw out extra water. This is poured off afterwards so the salt content of the pickle is not high. Check on an old piccalili recipe - it will give you the proportions.